I’d like one Dr. Dolittle, but hold the colonialism, please

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Why do you think people write prequels, sequels and other books based on another author’s work?   Do you like reading (or writing) fan fiction?  Is it OK to modernise an old classic –especially a children’s book -- by removing portions that we would now consider racist or otherwise offensive?  Does knowing objectionable things about an author alter how we view his/her writing?    Should it?   

Stagnating on Samos

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This article paints a picture of what it is like to be a refugee seeking asylum in Europe.  How is this picture similar or different from what you are used to thinking?  Did anything surprise you?   How can this problem best be addressed?  Through charity work?  Through a change in laws?  Through a change in attitudes?

Putting it out there for the whole world to see…

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Are billboards an eyesore or a business opportunity and part of a healthy economy?   What do you think about the Nelumbo billboard?  How is this similar to Stanley Milgram’s famous experiment and how is it different?  How can the public or the government fight against misinformation in advertisements?  Should disturbing images (such as those of aborted feotuses) be banned?

Are you weeding that garden or getting ready to make a salad?

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Are you interested in wild edibles, and not just mushrooms?  Does weed-eating have some cultural and environmental implications?  How would you compare Slovakia and Italy in this regard?

Music that goes over (not like a lead balloon)

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Is borrowing an inevitable part of the creative process or is it just a nice word for plagiarism?  Is the problem compounded by racism and other inequalities of the music industry?   What do you think about the writer giving Robert Plant a pass because of his good intentions?

Abrasions are just part of the fun

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(This is the last post you can comment on for September)

Is this writer overreacting to a few youtube videos, or is this a real problem, or, even worse, part of a larger problem?  Have people always done outrageous things for the thrill of risk and to draw attention to themselves, or is this a symptom of the diseases of our times, narcissism and individualism, as the writer claims?

We are back in business

After several years of not teaching English B, I have a new group of students.   Watch this space.  New posts will be appearing each month.

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The above link is to another blog post which discusses the use of topics in the English B curriculum.  This is basically just an excuse for me to test the link function...